How long is an NPMA-33 form valid?

The NPMA-33 is valid for 90 days from the date of inspection for mortgage and property transfer purposes. This is stated on the form itself and is also the standard accepted by HUD and VA. If escrow extends past 90 days, a reinspection is typically required.

What insects does the NPMA-33 cover?

The NPMA-33 covers four categories of wood destroying insects: termites (all species), carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and reinfesting wood-boring beetles. It does not cover wood-decay fungi, mold, or other non-insect organisms — those require the separate WDO Attachment.

Can I photocopy the NPMA-33 form?

No. The NPMA-33 is copyrighted by the National Pest Management Association and cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission. Inspectors must obtain forms through one of NPMA's 15 licensed digital software providers or 4 licensed hard-copy printers.

When was the NPMA-33 last revised?

The current version is dated July 1, 2019. It replaced the 2004 version. Use of the new form became mandatory on January 1, 2020 — all prior versions are now obsolete.

Inspector's Guide

How to Fill Out the NPMA-33 Form

The NPMA-33 is a two-page form that looks simple — until a lender bounces your report for a technicality. Here's how to complete it correctly, section by section, based on the current July 2019 revision.

What the NPMA-33 is (and isn't)

The NPMA-33, officially titled the "Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report," is the national standard form for documenting WDI inspections. HUD mandates it for all FHA and VA property transactions in areas where termite inspections are required. It's also the default form for conventional real estate deals in the roughly 35 states that don't have their own state-specific form.

The form covers four categories of wood destroying insects: termites (all species — subterranean, drywood, Formosan), carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and reinfesting wood-boring beetles.

What it does NOT cover

The NPMA-33 explicitly states it does not cover mold, mildew, or non-insect wood destroying organisms like wood-decay fungi (brown rot, white rot). If you need to report fungi findings, you need the WDO Attachment — a separate form that accompanies the NPMA-33 and gets listed in Section V. Unlike the NPMA-33 itself, the WDO Attachment is not copyrighted and can be freely reproduced.

The 5 sections, explained

Section I — General Information

Company name, address, phone. Your pest control business license number — note the 2019 revision specifically says "Pest Control Business License No.," not just "Business License." If your state doesn't issue a pest control business license, write "not required." Never leave it blank.

Also includes: date of inspection, full property address, inspector name, signature, certification/license number, and which structures you inspected. List every structure — "house and detached garage," not just "house." If you only inspected the main dwelling, say so explicitly. This limits your liability to exactly what you looked at.

Section II — Inspection Findings

Two checkboxes. Box A: no visible evidence of WDI. Box B: visible evidence was observed.

If you check Box B, you fill in three sub-fields describing what you found: live insects, evidence (frass, mud tubes, exit holes, staining), and visible damage. Be specific about locations — "subterranean termite shelter tubes on south foundation wall, approximately 3 linear feet adjacent to water heater" is far better than "termites found."

Common mistake

Don't check Box A if there's any visible evidence of WDI, even old or inactive evidence. Dead insects, old exit holes, and prior damage all require Box B. The form is about what you can see, not about whether the infestation is currently active.

The form includes the statement: "This is not a structural damage report." You're documenting the presence or absence of WDI and their evidence — not assessing structural integrity. Don't get into load-bearing capacity or repair scope on the NPMA-33.

Section III — Recommendations

Two options: no action/treatment recommended, or action/treatment recommended for specific insects. The 2019 revision broadened this from just "treatment" to "action(s) and/or treatment(s)" — giving you more flexibility to recommend non-chemical remediation like wood replacement, moisture correction, or further investigation.

If you checked Box B in Section II but are NOT recommending treatment, you need to explain why. This comes up when you find old evidence but no active infestation — you might note that the evidence appears historical and no current activity was observed.

Section IV — Obstructions and Inaccessible Areas

This is the section that protects you. Every structure has areas you couldn't inspect — personal belongings blocking a crawlspace opening, insulation covering framing in the attic, a furnace sitting against a wall. Document all of them here.

Advice from NPMA

NPMA's VP of Technical and Regulatory Affairs has specifically called out Section IV as "especially important to protect you as the inspector." A blank Section IV is a red flag — it implies you either didn't encounter any obstructions (unlikely in any real structure) or you forgot to document them.

The form includes an optional key with 26 items — common obstructions like wall coverings, stored items, plumbing, and two items added in the 2019 revision: #25 "Spray foam insulation" and #26 "Equipment."

Section V — Additional Comments and Attachments

Free-form area for anything that doesn't fit neatly into Sections I–IV. If you're attaching the WDO Attachment for fungi findings, list it here. This section also contains signature blocks for the seller/owner and buyer.

The 2019 revision added the phrase "to their knowledge" to the seller signature statement, so it now reads: "Seller discloses to the buyer all information, to their knowledge, regarding W.D.I. infestation, damage, repair, and treatment history." This was added at the request of the real estate industry — it limits seller liability to what they actually knew.

One important note: the inspector is not responsible for collecting the seller's signature. That's the real estate agent's or lender's job. You provide the form; they handle signatures.

What changed in the 2019 revision

The current NPMA-33 is dated July 1, 2019 and replaced the 2004 version. It became optional immediately and mandatory on January 1, 2020 — all prior versions are now obsolete. If you're still using a pre-2019 form, it will be rejected.

The key changes, beyond what's already covered above:

"Defects" → "wood destroying insect damage" in Section II's scope language. This was changed at the request of the National Association of Realtors to ensure inspectors aren't held responsible for identifying broad "defects" unrelated to WDI.
The "Evidence of Previous Treatment" section was deleted entirely. The 2004 version asked whether the structure appeared to have been previously treated. This was removed due to liability concerns about making determinations regarding work done by other companies.
The five-year treatment reference was removed from the Treatment Recommendation Guidelines on Page 2.

HUD and VA requirements

For VA loans, a WDI inspection using the NPMA-33 (or state-approved equivalent) is required in areas where termite infestation probability is rated "moderate to heavy" or "very heavy" per the USDA Termite Infestation Probability Map. As of 2025, this covers 30 states statewide plus 8 additional states with county-specific requirements.

For FHA/HUD loans, the inspection is required when any of four conditions apply: it's customary to the area, mandated by state or local law, evidence of active infestation is noted by the appraiser, or the lender requires it at their discretion.

In both cases, the NPMA-33 is valid for 90 days from the date of inspection. If closing is delayed beyond 90 days, a reinspection is typically required. Since VA Circular 26-22-11 (June 2022), veterans are now allowed to pay for WDI inspection fees — this is a change from the prior rule where they could not be charged in most states.

You can't photocopy it

The NPMA-33 is copyrighted. The form footer states: "No reproduction of this form is permitted without the express permission of NPMA." This isn't just legal boilerplate — NPMA actively enforces it. You can't photocopy the form, scan and reprint it, or recreate it in your own template.

To get copies, you need to go through one of NPMA's 15 licensed digital software providers (including GorillaDesk, PestPac/WorkWave, FieldRoutes, Spectora, Briostack, HomeGauge, ArcSite, and others) or one of their 4 licensed hard-copy printers. The full list is at npmapestworld.org under "NPMA Forms Information."

States that DON'T use the NPMA-33

If you're in one of 15 states that require their own state-specific form, the NPMA-33 may not be sufficient by itself. California (Form 43M-41), Florida (FDACS-13645), Texas (T-5), South Carolina (CL-100), Oklahoma (ODAFF-1), Arizona (WDIIR), and others all have their own forms. In those states, the state form is the primary document — the NPMA-33 is only needed as a supplement if the lender specifically requires it (common in VA transactions).

For a complete breakdown, see our guide: California 43M-41 vs. NPMA-33: When Do You Need Both?

Last updated April 2026. This guide is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements change — verify current rules with your state regulatory agency and NPMA. Primary sources: NPMA-33 form (7/01/19) hosted at hud.gov, NPMA Suggested Guidelines, PCT Magazine, VA Pamphlet 26-7, HUD Handbook 4000.1.